Tag Archives: The invisible God

23 BY THE WAY…WHO IS THE PROTOTYPE?

Bible Study, ,

We have examined a little of the meaning of the image of God in man. Now we must explore the deeper significance of this image in Jesus, the Son, who is both man and the visible image of the invisible God. 

“Who came first? Is Adam the blueprint of the human Jesus or…is Jesus the blueprint of Adam?”

Even a superficial study of the Greek words reveals some fascinating details about Jesus, the God who became man and who is described as the “prototokos”, the prototype of the first man and every human after him. 

The Bible says that Jesus is the “icon” of God…

“The Son is the image (icon) of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭1‬:‭15‬ ‭NIV‬‬

First, He is the one who makes the invisible God visible to us. When we see Jesus, we see God. 

“Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?”

‭‭John‬ ‭14‬:‭9‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Second, He has the character of God. 

“…who being the brightness of His glory and the express image (Greek – character) of His person…,”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭1‬:‭3a NKJV‬

Two different Greek words give us a glimpse of the person of Jesus in His perfect visible expression of the Father and in His identity as the true God in His character.  

Then, redeemed humans are being recreated in His image. 

We know that the image of God was distorted through Adam’s sin…but the defaced image was not lost. It was passed on to the whole human race. Through what Jesus came to do as God’s perfect image-bearer, God has made possible the restoration of His perfect image in humanity. 

“Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.”

‭‭Colossians‬ ‭3‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

Just imagine that! Despite the catastrophe of sin, God set about restoring His damaged image in us. He did not remove it. He is restoring the image of Jesus in us. 

So, Jesus was not a man born in the image of Adam. Adam was a man created in the image of Jesus. Jesus is the firstborn…the prototype, the blueprint of the first person in the human race…

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn (prototokos…the prototype) among many brothers and sisters.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

This truth has massive implications for us. 

How does God restore this defaced image in us? 

…”have put on the new self, which is being RENEWED in KNOWLEDGE in the IMAGE of its Creator.”

This renewal happens by a choice and a process.  Every thought, word, and action is preceded by a choice…either to live as we were in our old sinful selves or to come under the authority of Jesus and to follow His ways. 

The process happens by the gradual moving away from the distorted image and towards the perfect image of Jesus… in character and likeness to Him. “Renewed in knowledge”…the Greek word conveys the idea of becoming recognised. The more we are renewed in the image of our Creator, the more Jesus in us is recognised. That’s amazing!

God and we do the work together. 

“Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.”

‭‭Philippians‬ ‭2‬:‭12‬-‭13‬ ‭NKJV‬‬

God uses every circumstance, good or bad, to renew the image of Jesus in us. The more we submit to Him in trust and obedience…despite the hardships, pain, and suffering…the more we resemble Jesus. 

Jesus confirmed His perfect likeness to the Father by learning obedience, not by trial and error…but by being obedient in every way as He suffered. 

“Son though he was, he learned obedience from what he suffered”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭5‬:‭8‬ ‭NIV‬‬

“In bringing many sons and daughters to glory, it was fitting that God, for whom and through whom everything exists, should make the pioneer of their salvation perfect through what he suffered. Both the one who makes people holy and those who are made holy are of the same family. So Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭2‬:‭10‬-‭11‬ ‭NIV

So, the writer to the Hebrews counsels them to do as Jesus did…submit to the discipline of suffering which is God’s teacher, taking them through the process Jesus went through to confirm His  obedience as a true son. 

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father?…They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness.”

‭‭Hebrews‬ ‭12‬:‭7‬, ‭10‬ ‭NIV‬‬

So, I repeat…

“And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image (icon) of his Son, that he might be the firstborn (prototype) among many brothers and sisters.”

‭‭Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭28‬-‭29‬ ‭NIV‬‬

There we have it! Jesus, the blueprint…humans the copies…who are spoiled but being renewed… carrying God’s likeness and authority…representing Him in His world…and all moving towards His original plan to have a family just like Himself, living together in harmony on His perfect earth. 

“Dear friends, now we are children of God, and what we will be has not yet been made known. But we know that when Christ appears, we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is. All who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.”

‭‭1 John‬ ‭3‬:‭2‬-‭3‬ ‭NIV‬‬

A MATCHLESS CV

Apologetics, ,

Colossians 1:15-17 NLT
[15] “Christ is the visible image of the invisible God. He existed before anything was created and is supreme over all creation, [16] for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. [17] He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.”

Why does Paul launch into a CV of Jesus so mindblowing that it’s difficult to comprehend a person so accomplished. Not all the Einsteins who ever lived can hold a candle to Jesus, the Son of God. How, then, can these foolish false teaches go around peddling the idea that Jesus is anything less than who He is?

The Colossian believers were being harassed by false teaching.

Gnostic philosophy was making its way into the Christian church. Jesus isn’t who He said He is. He’s just the highest of a series of “emanations”, levels of spirit beings between us and God. For people to “know” God means that we must go through these spirit beings to gain a superior kind of knowledge. Salvation, therefore, is about knowledge, not grace!

“What nonsense!” Paul exploded. “Who taught you such rubbish?”

Jesus is who He said He is. He is not a superior “spirit being,” as you say. He is God who came in person, a real person and a perfect replica of God! He created the universe in harmony with God, the Father, not some lesser “God” as you claim. He even made the powerful spirit beings who operate in the world. He is the absolute sovereign ruler of the universe, and He keeps it all going by His power.

Anything less than the real Jesus, who is both perfect God and perfect man, would mean doom for us humans. How could we ever be accepted by a holy God in our unholy state? No amount of “knowledge”, however great or superior, can ever do anything to rid us of our sin.

We need a real, perfect man to stand in for us. Jesus is the only real, perfect man who qualified.

Let’s examine His qualifications. How do we know He is God? First, He was a man, but He did what only God can do in partnership with God. He healed the sick, He calmed storms, He walked on water, He opened blind eyes and deaf ears, He raised the dead…He died and rose again!

He perfectly represented the Father on earth.

Exodus 34:6-7 NLT
[6] “The Lord passed in front of Moses, calling out, “Yahweh! The Lord! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. [7] I lavish unfailing love to a thousand generations. I forgive iniquity, rebellion, and sin…”

Second, He fulfilled every prophecy about Himself. His prophesied His own death, and He died. He said He would rise again, and He rose again. He said He’s coming again, and He will come. He said He has the power to forgive sins and proved it by healing a paralysed man.

Third, He said we would be saved through faith in Him. We are saved, in our experience, and in the presence of His Spirit in us. Those who believe in Him have peace and freedom from guilt.

Who else could have done all this and not be God?

Like the Colossian believers, let us not be fooled by lying false prophets. The truth is that Jesus is God, and that He saves all who call on His name in faith.